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Justice for All: Report of the Task Force on Justice

At the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development lies a vision of a “just, equitable, tolerant, open and socially inclusive world in which the needs of the most vulnerable are met.” Justice is a thread that runs through all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Without increased justice, the world will not be able to end poverty, reduce inequality, reach the furthest behind first, create conditions for shared and sustainable poverty, or promote peace and inclusion.

SDG16.3 promises to ensure equal access to justice for all by 2030. Other targets cover legal identity, injustices such as corruption and illicit financial flows, and the promotion of rights and gender equality.

Drawing on research by the world’s leading justice organizations and experts, this new report provides a first estimate of the global justice gap. It makes the case for shifting from a model that provides justice only for the few, to one that delivers measurable improvements in justice for all.

In the past, justice reforms have often focused on institutions that are distant from people and fail to serve their needs. The Task Force proposes a different approach, putting people at the center of justice systems and justice at the heart of sustainable development.

A people-centered approach to justice starts with an understanding of people’s justice needs and designs solutions to respond to them. It is delivered by a justice system that is open and inclusive, and that works in collaboration with other sectors such as health, education, housing, and employment.

Closing the justice gap requires a transformation in ambition – a sustained effort to provide billions more people with access to justice.

To deliver justice for all, countries must resolve people’s justice problems, prevent injustices large and small from occurring, and create opportunities for people to participate fully in their societies and economies.